Capturing the quintessential spirit of the Kruger National Park
Limpopo & Mpumalanga - South Africa
Experience the Kruger National Park
Who hasn’t dreamed of going to the Kruger National Park? We were no different and yet surprisingly we had only been once before. In 2011 we returned for our second visit.
Baobab tree
View and grey heron - birdhide Kruger National Park
This was a family trip. Who’s to say though that it was parents and kids? We were an adult family – all above the age of 50! That doesn’t mean we behaved like mature adults. We were probably more excited than a bunch of kids going on their first safari. We laughed from dawn till dusk, having a great time being together and obviously our joviality didn’t chase ALL the wild animals away.
We were three couples, all related, brother, sisters, and their respective spouses. It’s not often that all six of us get together at the same time. Two were expert Kruger Park visitors and the other four were amateurs.
Crocodiles on the bank of the river
Buffalo
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Entering the Kruger National Park
We entered at a southern gate, Malelane and drove north to Skukuza where we met the rest of the family.
Did you know there are nine entrance gates to Kruger? These are clockwise from the south:
Crocodile Bridge
Malelane
Numbi
Phabeni
Paul Kruger
Orpen
Phalaborwa
Punda Maria
Pafuri
Which entrance should you choose? It largely depends where your accommodation is booked and how far you would like to travel. Bear in mind the speed limit through the park is 50 km/h on tar roads and 40 km/h on gravel roads, so allow sufficient travel time.
We’d hired an 8-seater vehicle at Skukuza so that we could all travel together through the park.
Elephant tusks at Letaba Rest Camp
Fish eagle
Our accommodation at the Kruger National Park:
We spent a total of 4 nights in the park in bungalows with their own bathrooms. We packed snacks, tea, coffee and rusks but ate our meals at the restaurants at the camps.
The camps we chose were:
Satara Rest Camp
Olifants Rest Camp
Letaba Rest Camp
Each camp has its own beauty, however there are some camps that are more busy than others.
Water dripping from the elephant’s mouth
Looks like pale molten lawa spilling over the rocks
Unless you have plenty of time on your hands, it is difficult to cover even a small part of the vast area of nearly 2 million hectares of national park.
We tried our best but of course didn’t cover all of it. The furthest point we drove to was Mopani, although we didn’t stay there.
This is the quintessential core of the wildlife of Africa, in the north-eastern part of South Africa. It is South Africa’s largest game reserve. Not only is it home to the Big 5, the elephant, lion, rhino, leopard, and buffalo but also has diverse bird species and many other small and large animals.
Elephant skull and tusks at Letaba Rest Camp
From the time we drove out of Skukuza we saw many of them. We covered a large area in a few days but it is not always recommended. Maybe having six sets of eyes helped spot the wild animals too.
So much has been written about the Kruger National Park, that I am my sure my scribbles won’t do justice to it. Instead I have tried to capture the quintessential spirit of the Kruger National Park through my photos. Hope you enjoy them.
Quick tips:
Allow enough time between camps for sightings or delays.
Plan your trip – do not try and cover too much ground. If you rush you could miss out on good sightings.
Usually the best time to see wild animals is early morning and late afternoon or evening. This does not mean you won’t see anything in the middle of the day, but animals are known to lie down in the long grass under the shade of a tree, thus will make it more difficult to spot them.
It is a good idea to bring a torch or headlamp as there is limited lighting when walking around at the camps at night.
Most of the rest camps have restaurants or shops with fairly decent supplies.
If you are eating at the restaurants, the cost is usually extra.
You can also stay outside the park and do a day trip into the Kruger National Park. Take a look at some of the lodges available nearby:
Satara Rest Camp, Kruger National Park
The Sanparks website is quite comprehensive, so if you need further information please do delve deeper.
Roaming Fox is not in any way affiliated to SANPARKS
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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The Best Way to see a country? Take a road trip! Have you ever had that feeling when you hit the open road on your road trip? Freedom. Anticipation. Exhilaration.